CITY OF NEWBURGH — The Newburgh Armory Unity Center is asking the Orange County Industrial Development Agency for a $500,000 grant over five years to help renovate the armory.

Comment

By Christian Livermore

recordonline.com

By Christian Livermore

Posted Jun. 18, 2011 at 2:00 AM

By Christian Livermore

Posted Jun. 18, 2011 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

CITY OF NEWBURGH — The Newburgh Armory Unity Center is asking the Orange County Industrial Development Agency for a $500,000 grant over five years to help renovate the armory.

The money would be a match to $500,000 The William and Elaine Kaplan Family Foundation has committed to the project over the same time frame.

"We're expanding the capacity to produce programming that attracts kids who are at a crossroads," said Deirdre Glenn, the CEO of the armory. "Do they drop out of school, do they go into gangs, or do they get involved in sporting activity? It exposes kids to so many more opportunities in life."

Phase 1 of the project restored the South William Street armory's gymnasium and three other rooms last year. About 500 children attend sports and other programs there weekly.

Phase 2, for which the center is requesting the grant, would renovate the armory's 23,000-square-foot drill hall.

It would quadruple the space available for programs, and would also afford space to rent for events such as track meets, regional sporting events, even film shoots, all of which will hopefully bring in enough revenue to support the center's operations.

At its meeting Wednesday, the IDA heard Glenn's presentation on the project. The request will be voted on at a future meeting; many on the board seemed to look favorably upon it.

"I'm for it," board Chairman James Petro said. "It's for the revitalization of Newburgh and it gets kids off the street corners, and I think if Mr. Kaplan steps up and does that, he deserves to have some support from the county."

Glenn estimates the cost of Phase 2 will be about $650,000. Any remaining grant money will be put toward Phase 3, which will restore the building's upstairs and 12.1-acre-grounds.

The armory got a grant this summer from the Open Space Institute for a master plan for the grounds, Glenn said.

Philanthropist Bill Kaplan spearheaded the effort to restore the armory.

In addition to the $500,000 now committed, the foundation put up $100,000 to restore the gym in Phase 1. From there it grew into a real community effort.